Cat food even during the holidays

During this holiday season, between big dinners and lunches with friends and family, there is a risk of providing our cats with an improper diet. It is important, in fact, not to give in to the temptation of letting your 4-legged friend taste the delicious dishes you are eating these days. Our food leftovers are absolutely not suitable for our pets, because they contain substances and seasonings that could be harmful to their health and digestion.

Even during this holiday season, it is good to continue offering our cat a correct and balanced diet; at ResPet, we recommend the best brands on the market.

Today, in fact, we find a great variety of products for our cat's nutrition on sale, but which ones are truly good?

How to choose products

There are products for every need, and that is precisely the first thing to evaluate when choosing which product to buy. First and foremost, you must select products based on age, weight, and specific needs, such as allergies or medical conditions.

Current regulations provide for an initial subdivision of cat food into:

• Complete foods: products capable of providing all the nutrients necessary for the daily requirement.
• Complementary foods: products not sufficient individually to satisfy the necessary daily ration. They are, therefore, to be used in combination with other products.

A further division is that between dry food and wet food.

• Dry food, which contains less than 14% water, such as kibble, is excellent for your cat's dental hygiene and is also very easy to portion.
• Wet food, which contains more than 34% water, is very tasty for cats and provides good hydration.

When choosing products for your cat's nutrition, it is fundamental to read the ingredient list carefully.

The cat is a carnivore, therefore, its diet must consist mainly of animal proteins, while carbohydrate intake must be limited. Products that list grains, potatoes, or other types of carbohydrates in the first places of the ingredient list should therefore be avoided.

Products containing artificial colors, preservatives, or sugar should absolutely be avoided.

This month we recommend N&D Ocean with pumpkin, herring, and orange.

The most frequent ingredients

• Proteins: a fundamental element that can never be missing, especially those of animal origin, whether meat or fish.

The quantity of protein is indicated by the wording:

• "Chicken-flavored food" refers to a meat quantity of less than 4%
• "Chicken food" indicates that the meat content is not less than 4%
• "Food rich in chicken" indicates a quantity ranging from 14% to 25%
• "Chicken" means the amount of chicken is greater than 26%
• "All chicken" means the indicated ingredient must be present at 100%

• Grains: a frequent element in the list of ingredients, especially rice; it is important that there is not an excessive quantity to avoid weight problems in the cat.

• Fats: it is good that omega 3 and omega 6 are present in cat food.

• Fiber: the fiber content within products should not exceed 5%.

This short guide on ingredients will help you always choose the best for your kitty!